The MOOD Podcast

Thriving as a Fashion Photographer: Troy Freyee’s Path to Artistic Freedom, E064

• Matt Jacob

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What if photography could capture not just a moment, but the very essence of the soul? 

Troy Freyee is an innovative fashion photographer known for his raw and emotive style. In this new episode, he shares his journey from managing a fashion store to becoming a prominent photographer, diving deep into how he connects with his subjects to capture authentic emotions. 

We discuss the fine line between creativity and burnout and how his background influences his empowering portrayal of women in his work. Troy’s philosophy on photography as an exploration of the soul shines through as he opens up about the challenges of staying grounded while working in such an high-demand field.

What we talk about:

  • Merging spontaneity with intentional artistry
  • Balancing commercial and personal photography projects
  • The impact of mental health in the creative industry
  • Tips for introverted photographers to connect with subjects
  • Navigating the evolution of fashion photography

Find Troy’s work here:
Website: https://freyeephotography.com/
Instagram: @freyeephoto
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Troy Freyee:

I suppose that's all about finding your own lane in the world, in the photography world. When I first started, I didn't really know what I wanted.

Matt Jacob:

Do you think about your photography more in the long term, like how can I keep evolving, how can I you know break?

Troy Freyee:

more barriers. When I start thinking like that, I start to doubt a lot, and so I try to be really present and go with the flow, like if I'm like thinking, oh my God, I need to make groundbreaking photos, I need to do this. You know like I feel, like the pressure.

Matt Jacob:

So many photographers or wannabe photographers out. There are more in the introvert end of the scale, so you're a natural introvert. How can you go about still getting that connection? So how do you?

Troy Freyee:

keep yourself grounded. I literally took six months off shooting. I think it's so common in the creative world depression and anxiety.

Matt Jacob:

Do you think it contributed to where you are today? That speaks volumes. Welcome to the Mood Podcast, where each week, we bring you inspiring conversations with top artists and creative minds from various fields, exploring their personalities, purposes, processes and philosophies. Whether you are a seasoned photographer, an aspiring artist or simply someone who just loves to learn and be inspired, this podcast is certainly for you. I'm your host, Matt Jacob, and thank you so much for joining me in today's conversation.

Matt Jacob:

And today we are joined by Troy Freye, an audacious and innovative fashion photographer known for his bold creativity and avant-garde style. Troy's journey from Australia's scenic coasts to the global stage has pushed the boundaries of traditional fashion photography, with each of his images telling a powerful kind of unguarded story. He's worked with some of the most daring fashion and lifestyle brands, bringing a unique blend of grit, glamour and raw emotion to every shoot. In my conversation with him, we explored his philosophy on photography as an exploration of the soul and how he creates a symbiotic connection between the camera and his subjects. We talked about the impact of mental health on art, dangers and realities of burnout, his processes for crafting powerful visual narratives, his thoughts on breaking the mold in the fashion industry and how he balances spontaneity with intentional artistry. So now I bring you Troy Freye. Troy Freye, Welcome to the Mood Podcast. Thank you, Really great to have you. Thanks for having me how long are you in Bali?

Troy Freyee:

for Three weeks, all out. What are you doing here? Six campaigns, wow. Yeah, well, thanks for fitting us in your busy schedule. My pleasure.

Matt Jacob:

I wanted to start with something you said at least I've seen that. You've said on on your website and some of your posts that photography is an exploration of one's soul. Can you kind of elaborate a little bit more on that?

Troy Freyee:

well, I suppose, to me photography is like it's, it's personal. You know, like it's my eye, if that kind of makes sense, like with that, that person, I see that angle, I see that emotion. So that's my take on that photo. So that's what I mean by soul. You know, it's like you can almost see into my soul.

Matt Jacob:

Where did that come from? How did that all begin?

Troy Freyee:

Just how I feel when I see a photo. It gets me in the soul most of the time.

Matt Jacob:

What type of photos?

Troy Freyee:

The photos with people and emotion and capturing just that single moment. Really, Because you are, you're capturing that little moment of that moment, that big moment. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah.

Matt Jacob:

I'm interested to hear more about that, certainly your your skill in that, and whether it's kind of a conscious skill that you've, you continue to craft over time, or if it's more innate to you. And I'm interested in the difference between that personal side of things, or maybe personal shoots, compared to like a commercial one, and how you bring that same kind of philosophy to the table. Yeah so, yeah, tell us a little bit more about if that technique changes, depending on if you're commercially, you know, have a commercial intention or more of a personal intention, and kind of how that, how that affects your work yeah.

Troy Freyee:

So it's a good question because obviously a commercial can be quite, you know, black and white, you know, they just need the product or a really good photo of the product. So that's where I think I for me to enjoy those type of shoots, I, that's my mission on that day is to get that little bit of emotion in that photo, holding the thing or, you know, or the, the clothes they're wearing, like how can I bring that model's personality into this photo, you know? So, to make it that little bit more exciting for me, you know, and hopefully for the viewer too.

Matt Jacob:

So that excitement comes from the connection that you're you're able to capture? Is that correct?

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, I like to. I hope that's what I do capture, cause that's how I feel. You know, I feel my favorite photos would be those moments with those models or these people that I shoot with. Is you know that emotional feeling? Even if it's just looking into the camera, you can tell the difference between a blank face and something with a meaning behind it.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, how do we tell for us, laymen, that that don't do what you do so well, how do you? What is the difference? Give me, give me a kind of a real physical example of something with connection and something without okay, um, yeah, how do I explain that?

Troy Freyee:

so, um, I suppose, like I speak, I'll say how I would do it. I think maybe that's easiest way for me to explain it. It's like you know, with a model, I like to sit with them prior to a shoot, get to know them so they feel, um, really relaxed with me. And then you know, I, we shoot together and I just I love to do like positive reinforcement the whole time, so it brings out there's no question on how they're feeling. There's no like oh no, this angle's bad, like I'm like I'm going to shoot some bad angles but they're not going to be chosen, let's just roll with it, and so that, for me, gives them the ability to really show their personality.

Troy Freyee:

And there's a little like it's hard to explain and I think you don't really know it's there, but you do know it's there, like in between a good and a good photo and a bad photo. You know, you know, so to speak, is there's a little twinkle in the eye that I see, and that's the moment I try to get you know, and it's like, and that's how I get to that moment is by having that connection. And you know, it's kind of like a dance with with the model and with myself, because it's just this like bounce forward and then that photo just has this twinkle in the eye. It's really hard to explain, but it's different. I, you, I don't know if you've seen it, but there are some photos out there that are just pretty black and white. You don't feel anything, you know, but they're probably doing the same pose, but there is a twinkle in the eye. I don't know, it's hard to explain.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, I think what you've touched on there about the most the pre-production side of it, right. So making sure you factor in some time with these people, even if it's a commercial fashion shoot, right, and these models do it day in, day out Exactly that's, you know, you still still got to be able to like, relate to them, connect with them. Yeah, exactly that's. I think that's why sometimes street photography is so difficult when you're within a trying to get people in it, because it's not it's a very different type of relationship, yeah, with us, who you know.

Matt Jacob:

I don't shoot, you know your style essentially, but we we shoot. We shoot portraits dealing with people. It's at least we have an element of control, yeah, whereas we can kind of think about okay, how, who are these people, how are we going to get the best out? Yeah, exactly, some of it's just innate, right, your personality is clearly someone who's able to to get that out of people, or it might just be. How long have you been in the game?

Matt Jacob:

10 years uh, yeah, about uh 13, I think was that something you picked up quite quickly, that skill, or is it something you learn over time?

Troy Freyee:

Definitely quickly. Yeah, I think it's a bit of part of who I am. I love people. I love connecting, you know, I think, yeah, it's one of my favorite things in life.

Matt Jacob:

Has it gone wrong, though? Sometimes I mean can you think of any stories where it might have?

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, definitely there's um, I'm thinking, thinking about it always ends up good. But there's been a couple of times I get into a shoot and there's maybe a language barrier and I'm like you know what up, you know, and they're like, you know, a little bit like hello, this guy's weird, but they just don't understand me. And then by the end of the shoot they're like oh, my god, you made me feel so good, right, you know. And so Days later yeah, days later, when they've translated- everything.

Troy Freyee:

Like oh, that's what he meant, his vibe, yeah, yeah. So I suppose in those times it can feel a bit challenging because I'm like I'm not connecting, or if they're tired or if they've got so much on their mind, so it's like, or if they're just not interested, like it's sometimes, you know, people are just so busy and they're like I've got to shoot today and it's like, you know. So it's like trying to bring them to the present moment, and sometimes I'm tired too and I can't really be bothered like connecting, as much you know. So it's like those times you can tell in my photos you can tell in my photos you can tell when there's a disconnect it's crazy, like it's just it's so hard to explain, but I can definitely tell and I think people can tell, but without knowing, you know.

Matt Jacob:

Something that's very difficult to teach or to explain. You know when you know.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, exactly.

Matt Jacob:

You almost don't know when you don't know, but when you get it.

Troy Freyee:

You're like, oh okay, that's what it is yeah, when you see a street sign that you like, or like a advertising thing that you like, you'd like it, but you don't know straight away. But then you're like oh, when you pick it apart, you're like I get it, you know.

Matt Jacob:

So for people who might be watching this. I mean, a lot of my audience are either beginner photographers or hobbyists that you know look up to people like you and want to kind of do something similar and the one of the biggest problems people do have is getting that connection. And so many photographers or wannabe photographers out there are more in the introvert end of the scale. So what can you kind of say to them? You know, if you're a natural introvert, how can you go about still getting that connection if they're not necessarily like you or maybe me a little bit, where we're a little bit more naturally outgoing and it's so hopefully we can make them feel at ease quicker. What kind of advice can you impart?

Troy Freyee:

Well, I suppose that's all about finding your own lane in the world, in the photography world. You know, like when I first started I didn't really know what I wanted, you know. And I did weddings I did. You know. Product did weddings I did. You know product, you know, I did. You know I was just trying everything out and what in that process what I found out is how much I love people and like how much I. Then that's where it landed. So, you know, maybe for more of an introvert style person, they might like more. You know, a different vibe. You know weddings are really good, you know things like you don't have to be directing as much, you know. Or you know even the product, you know it's still all really enjoyable. But I suppose, you know, finding finding your groove in the world. There's so many different photography realms.

Matt Jacob:

When did you so? How did you tell us the story about how you found your groove in what you do now?

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, okay, Well, I never realized I even wanted to be a photographer until I was 25. I randomly was. I was like managing a fashion store in the city, party boy, you know, just like.

Matt Jacob:

So fashion was always an interest.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, it was definitely an interest. I always, like you know, I like, I'm a tourist, so I like good, good things, you know, just like. So fashion was always an interest. Yeah, it was definitely an interest. I always, like you know, I like I'm a Taurus, so I like good things. You know Me too, Are you there?

Matt Jacob:

you go.

Troy Freyee:

I was wondering if you were. I knew it. So like, yeah, we like nice things, so I like fashion and I like, anyways, I was working there managing everything. I was just not quite fulfilled in it. I was like, oh, I don't know. And then I watched I don't know if you've seen, have you seen the Secret? It's all about the law of attraction.

Matt Jacob:

I haven't, but it's on my list. Yeah, it's like. Yeah, it's a book as well right, it's a book as well.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, so I watched, watched the doco documentary and I don't know if that's real Aussie, aussie, watch the doco, the doco. Anyway, it's documentary and it's all about the law of attraction. There's this one lady on there and she was like I just had this idea that came to me and it just felt so right and I went with her and her whole life was just so good and I was like, oh, I hope that happens to me. Like I wasn't feeling it and literally the next day I was having a shower and I'm like I want to be a photographer. And then, from that moment, I bought a camera. And then the next day someone came in and they're like I'm a Formula One photographer, I travel the world. When I was working. I was like, oh, you know, just like all the line.

Troy Freyee:

And then I bought the camera. The next, what camera was it? It was just like a Canon 30D and it was like a DSLR. Yeah, literally, and I literally thought that I would just buy it. Like I've only ever used the pointed shoots. I thought I'd buy it and just be able to do a pointed shoot.

Troy Freyee:

I was like there was so many other and I was taking photos and everything was bright and overexposed. I'm like what the heck? You know camera's broken, and I mean it's my lens. I'm like it's not working. And then I just started playing around with it. And then my makeup artist friend Miranda she worked at this modeling agency and she was like come along and take some photos and just you know, just see if you like it and whatever. And then I was doing that and then they ended up firing their photographer and got me on in and then that was like wow, it just was like flowing, you know what I mean. And then, and then I ended up doing a course because I was needed to figure out the buttons. And then, yeah, you know, and then I just found out. I loved it more and more and more.

Matt Jacob:

I love the way you've just explained the technical side of it, though that's, that's what it's, that's the. That's how I try and talk to people, definitely not as well as that, but like it's just buttons, like learn how to do the buttons and just that's it. Get on with it. Get on with the more important stuff in photography about connection and emotion. Yeah, what? Rewind even more. We're not going to dwell too much on your past, but rewind a little bit more. And I want, I'm interested and usually ask it's the most guests but why photography? What was it about photography that that made you want to go into it? Hmm, what is it about? What is it about it now, today, that still sparks your, your creativity and your passion?

Troy Freyee:

I haven't been asked that question before. I love that, um I. It just goes back to the connection again, like for me, and just connecting with people and capturing that beauty and someone's seeing the photo and just being like, wow, is that me, you know, like it's. Just being able to offer that to the world is really cool, you know, because people seem to like my eye. I don't know why I can see why.

Matt Jacob:

Oh, thanks, man. Obviously during this I I looked at your website, which is really cool, by the way. I was interested mostly about how, I presume, you wrote a lot of the kind of about sections and all the copy on there. You talk a lot about yourself in the third person or someone else wrote about you and yeah, someone else right?

Troy Freyee:

yeah, yeah, yeah. So even if you tell me what's on there, I probably don't know. I'm gonna tell you what's on there now.

Matt Jacob:

Thank, you um, you call you call yourself or they call you a genius right on the website.

Troy Freyee:

I called myself that yeah, well, that's what I wrote.

Matt Jacob:

I was like I wrote my own website, but I didn't call myself a genius even though I think I am a genius.

Troy Freyee:

Oh, my God.

Matt Jacob:

Lol, that is so funny Symbiotic dance between camera and subject. Right, as you've talked about that as well. But going even further, I think and we talked about this off air I think what you feel is important to you is being able to empower the person on the other side of the camera. Right, maybe you as well, but talk to us a little bit about why that's important to you.

Troy Freyee:

Well, okay, so I'm a gay man and I have a lot of feminine, a lot of girlfriend, like friends. I don't want to confuse you there, gay man with loads of girlfriends, yeah, loads of girls.

Troy Freyee:

No, you know, like, so women are a very special part of my life, you know, and I just find them empowering people, and I found, by shooting a lot of women, they've, you know, I can see them in more of a sexy way than a sexual way, you know, and you know, even you know, going from nude or even in clothes like I don't know, it's like they feel empowered when they see their photo and that makes me feel so proud.

Troy Freyee:

And to also change the narrative of women as sexual, they're more, you know, like, more sexy, like or not even that that's probably not the right way to say. They're women, you know, like it's empowering, so like I just found, as time has gone, like that's how a lot of women have felt when I've shot them and it's almost feels like a gift to the world to show you know they're more than a sexual object, they're beautiful beings, they're strong, they're powerful. You know, and that's how I feel my photos Well, I hope my photos come across and, um, even as well with men, it's like not only just women, I love shooting men as well. It's just like I don't know, um, yeah, I don't even know how to.

Matt Jacob:

I think your photos leave, I don't know they they don't leave a lot to the. They do leave a lot to the imagination, but some don't. I mean, um, those are the ones I've been focusing on most.

Troy Freyee:

Wife's in the corner.

Matt Jacob:

I'm interested to you know where that line is. You know where, especially when you're posting on socials and publicizing this work or doing it commercially for a magazine or whatever an online brand, how do you know where that line is? Again, is that something that you've you just kind of learn along the way, or you just feel it?

Troy Freyee:

I feel it, yeah, I don't. Yeah, I know it when I see it, but I don't know where it is. Like it's just there is a fine line, definitely, and I feel like some people do cross it and it becomes more of like an OnlyFans kind of energy or nothing wrong with that. But, like you know, well, it depends who you're speaking to, but, like you know, just yeah. So yeah, there's a fine line. I don't know where the line is, but I know when I cross it and I know when people cross it as well.

Matt Jacob:

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Matt Jacob:

What I love most about Artlist, though, is how easy it makes finding the perfect asset. I'm super lazy, and their platform is super user-friendly, and the quality of their music and footage is just top-notch. It doesn't matter if you're working on a big project or just something small. Artlist certainly has the range and the quality to make your work really stand out. Plus, everything is royalty-free, so you can use it however you like without worrying about the legal stuff. And because I believe in sharing the good stuff, here's a little perk for you Use the link in the description to sign up for an annual plan and you'll get two extra months free. It's a great deal to keep your creative juices flowing even longer. All right, let's get back to the episode. Does that help, being a gay man, then, having kind of more of an objective idea of where that line is without getting I think so, but I still know where that line is when I shoot a good looking man.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, you know, I think so. Yeah, it's a good question, but yeah, I just definitely don't have sexual intent with any of my subjects. You know, like I think as well, like like it's just I don't know. When I'm shooting, I almost feel like you know, I know it's like it's not me, like it's like that's what I'm doing. You know, like it doesn't have any professional yeah yeah, it's. Yeah, you know what I mean. Like it's yeah hard to explain, but you go into a different realm almost well. Yeah, like a flow state.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, none of that really, yeah, really enters your mind. No, exactly yeah, exactly which is why sometimes it's difficult to answer these types of questions you don't really think objectively about these types of things.

Matt Jacob:

You just kind of you know it, you feel it, you kind of, exactly, you do it yeah, exactly it's difficult, like part of this part of this podcast for me anyway is to at least try and pass wisdom from other guests for how they do things, how they do things so well it's sometimes it's just really difficult to put it into words which kind of gets boiled down to just well, you just got to go out and do it, practice and learn and learn yourself. It sounds awful, but you know you've got to go and make those mistakes.

Troy Freyee:

Exactly. And then you find your little, your nook, you know, and what feels right for you and that's yeah. So I was yeah. When you asked me to come on, I was like a little bit nervous. I'm like, oh, I don't know what I'm doing half the time, I'm just rolling with it. Glad there's more than yeah, yeah.

Matt Jacob:

So I'm like, oh, you asked me like real technical questions I'm like oh, I don't know, I know where it looks good, but I know not bad.

Matt Jacob:

I'm not bothered about technical stuff really way more fascinating and intangible about how we get these connections and how we relate to people. Just on that a little bit more and just this more kind of personal interest. Because I put myself in your position and I obviously don't have experience with shooting half naked women and men for you know, in a fashion and artistic, in a very fine, arty way, I wouldn't even. I mean god, I'd feel so uncomfortable. How do, how, how does that conversation take place? I need to take top off now, how to put me in that day of shooting.

Troy Freyee:

How do you?

Matt Jacob:

avoid that awkwardness, because with any photographer, whether you're shooting just people off the street or whatever, there is an element of awkwardness, right.

Troy Freyee:

Certainly initially.

Matt Jacob:

How do you kind of break through that? Do you just punch through it with your personality, maybe?

Troy Freyee:

I must. I don't feel like there's ever been a weird awkward moment with that, I think. I think in that I that's a good question. So basically, we just shoot together and soon as it just feels like it just flows that way and like, if I don't feel like they want to you know, sometimes I'm with models and they don't want to take their top off or anything like that, which is absolutely fine I just basically like should we do you know a couple of shirts, like a couple of topless shots like I've got? I even like, even like on on. I sometimes jump on Pinterest and be like okay, what's this model vibe? Let me just get some quick ideas. And then maybe there's like a cool topless photo. I'm like hey, do you want something like this? Totally chill, we don't need it, but I love this photo. He came Also on other times when they're completely nude. I was actually hired by, like Penthouse magazine, so that was pretty straightforward.

Matt Jacob:

And work's already done for you, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Troy Freyee:

So and I think as well, a lot of the people I've shot they're keen on that. They've seen my other work and they just are like, can we do some nude shots or like stuff like that as well. So and I also like think of like when I'm shooting, as well as like, how can I make this cool? You know, like in a sense of like, okay, you're nude, you can just sit there and then that's a photo. But you know, like, sometimes I'm like, can you do a cartwheel with like? So this is an example of like.

Troy Freyee:

You know, I literally posted it today actually, uh, there's, I shoot for this um brand called Billy Bones Club and they do, they do beanies, hats and stuff like that. Um, it was, it was for a beanie, so it's like cold. You know, I was thinking like, okay, this is cold environment and you're going to wear a beanie. How can I make this feel like all those things in one photo? So I was with the model. I'm like, would you do a cartwheel nude? And she's yeah, down for it, and I posted it today actually. So she's doing a cartwheel nude and it's yeah, down for it, and I posted it today actually. So she's doing a cartwheel nude and it's just so cool because it's got the element of you know, keeping warm from the beanie, but she's nude and I don't know. And she's doing a cartwheel, it's like kind of a vibe, I don't know. So that's just like kind of how I think of stuff.

Troy Freyee:

And sometimes I don't even know how I come up with it to like if you, if you know you got six campaigns coming up, if you already kind of got mood boards, or yeah, about stuff, or do you just kind of wing it? I wing it a lot, so I'm more of like if I think about something for too long, it becomes too stressful, I want to cancel it. And if I, if I think about it the day of or the night before, I'm like wait, wait, let's go, like I'm real into it, does that make sense? Yeah or not, but I also have so many ideas in my head so it's like I just trust it will come.

Matt Jacob:

So do you do when you do some personal shoots? What kind of? You just think about ideas that you've already thought about and you go right, okay, let's go shoot, I need some people, let's go. And you go right, okay, let's go shoot, I need some people, let's go. What is your go-to when you're not pressured by another company?

Troy Freyee:

Well, I like to hire a team. So I love to have, you know, makeup artists. I like to get a stylist and I know, on the day the ideas will come, I just get the model, the location and those things in check and then my inspiration just comes, you know, because they're wearing something cool. I'm like, oh, sit, you're wearing, you know whatever Like this will look cool with it. Let's lay on the. You know that's when it comes, so I try not to have too much. You know, pressure and stone, yeah.

Matt Jacob:

Because I feel like, yeah, get boxed in.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, and I feel like the beauty comes from those moments where it's just free-flowing. They're always my favorite shots, yeah.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, do you think about your photography more in the long term, like how can I keep evolving, how can I break more barriers, how can I create a legacy? Is that something that sits in your mind?

Troy Freyee:

Not too much. I also, when I start thinking like that, I start to doubt a lot, and so I try to be really present and go with the flow, because as soon as I do that, it feels way better. Like if I'm like thinking, oh my God, I need to make groundbreaking photos, I need to do this, and you know like I feel like the pressure and then I just get swamped and then I hate all my work and then I'm like, eh, but if I'm just like in the moment, flow and trust that ideas come and you know, as they always have and always do I feel way better.

Matt Jacob:

Do you not worry about things being the same, like revisiting same ideas?

Troy Freyee:

You know, certainly in the subconscious I worry about that all the time I do worry about it, but it for some reason never happens, like that's why I need to trust with the moment. I mean, sometimes it does, but yeah, not really like I don't know, because it's a different location, it's a different model. Even if I do a similar pose, it's a different vibe. You know, like there are like a few running nude shots that I've done that you're blurred out, but you know, it's just different vibes. So, for instance, I did one on the one like that on the beach on the Gold Coast. And then I was in Palm Springs and I wanted to, because I sell prints as well. Um, like wall art and I love Palm Springs. It's like the coolest place. It feels like you're in a completely different world and I always see these beautiful Palm Springs print photos and they're so cool.

Troy Freyee:

But I was like, how can I bring my element into this? And I was with my two girlfriends and I was like, hey, would you? It was like 41 degrees, hey, it was so hot. And I was like, do you guys mind like getting your bikinis and running down the road a few times in front of one of these houses, and then so the the road was that hot and they were like burning their feet. There's actually a really funny video and they're just running, but the photos are sick.

Troy Freyee:

I made it, I made them blur out, but the the buildings, you know, in focus, but then these two girls in bikinis running past and it's just like that's how I've made palm springs my vibe. You know that's cool. Yeah, so I don't past. And it's just like that's how I made Palm Springs my vibe. You know that's cool. Yeah, so I don't know where I was going with it. Oh, yeah, that's a running photo between the beach. You know, so I do reuse ideas sometimes, of course, you know, but in different spots. Yeah, so it's different, but it's still the same idea.

Matt Jacob:

I love your prints, by the way, I think that's so cool. Thank you I mean, I didn't love them so much that I bought some.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, I was waiting. I was like I didn't see your name on the order.

Matt Jacob:

I went for a discount. Talk to me about prints, because photographers, certainly the younger photographers, these days I don't know how old you are, but you're not like 21, 22. These youngsters coming through and their photography perception and life is so geared around social media, right, we're kind of. I still love a print. Like even seeing a print on a website, like it's just different. It just looks, you know, even just framed up or you know, mocked up on a wall. I just love it. Like there's a different feeling. Do you think there's still a future? I mean, tell me about your print sales and how much demand there is for that. Do you think there's a positive kind of outlook on print sales still?

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, absolutely so. I actually never thought of prints and I had this company from the States reach out to me years and years ago I don't know, maybe like five years ago, I don't know. Anyways, he contacted me and he was like, hey, I'd really love to have your prints on our site. And I was like, oh, really Okay. And then so I, he started that and then it was his, like he just started this print store and then, as time went on, it just got bigger and bigger and like now some months we're selling 40 to 50 prints a month. Like it's pretty crazy, and that's in the States.

Troy Freyee:

And I've got my print store, um, in Australia, which is just I don't really put much promotion in there or anything, it's just there. But it's awesome because people can buy stuff and I just randomly get sales, you know, like here and there, whatever, and it's like, yeah, so I, that's definitely there. But if I put more time into the print aussie print store, I reckon I could get a bit more stuff going on, but it's just, yeah, it's, it's working and it's yeah, people love it, people love art. I don't think that'll ever die.

Matt Jacob:

No, I agree, yeah when you're out and about shooting, or you might be thinking about how you're going to display your photos or how you're going to kind of get your ideas through to you know, final image, final selection of images. Is there anything that you can remember or think of that you've been so creative and bold in what you want to do and it hasn't quite paid off, and you can talk about, maybe, imagery or even your career as well. Is there anything that comes to mind?

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, I'll start with the imagery side of things. So it's actually funny because every shoot I do weird bold things, like I just try to think of something out of the ordinary, like what can I do with this person to make it a bit interesting, or whatever. So I suppose when it doesn't pay off is when they, their bodies, don't even move that way. So like I'm like, put your arm here and I'm like, oh wait, that's physically not possible. You know it's like, so I often do that. Like I'm like, can you do this? And then, yeah, so that way it doesn't pay off. But we always get there in the end. But, um, yeah, when they physically can't do, it and it doesn't work.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, literally yeah, literally I'm like wait, you can't even do that naked yeah, yeah yeah, so in that sense, and also like, sometimes I, you know, like, even like shooting film, sometimes, because I shoot both film and digital, my favorite's film Like, obviously, like you know, analog, not video. So sometimes I, you know, like think it's going to work in the sense of lighting and, you know, do it, and then I get it back and it sometimes just doesn't work and yeah, so that's happened. It doesn't happen too often, but it does happen. This one time I was connected my film camera to the flash in a studio. I did a whole shoot with it, like, and none of them turned out and I didn't shoot up back, back up digital or anything, so that that in a sense it doesn't. It's, you know, I wouldn't say that's bold, but like that's when something doesn't turn out.

Matt Jacob:

It's just.

Troy Freyee:

There's just a fucking mistake yeah, it's just a mistake, I just fucked up. Yeah, fucking amateur. No, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Matt Jacob:

No, of course not. People who shoot film know about that.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, yeah, right, right, love it, though. But with the career thing, I suppose jumping into it is part of it. You know being like going from being a person that is shooting working full time, and then you know giving photography a go. I was so lucky, though, because I have the most amazing mother. I was working at a law firm, I was also working at a bar, and I was shooting at the modeling agency, and she my mom could see how much I loved photography, and she could even see it more than I could see it, and she saw how much I was working.

Troy Freyee:

And the law firm was family law, and I was like I'm an empath, so I feel things hard. So I was pretty down all the time, cause everyone there is pretty sad, um, and so she just said to me she's like, troy, I would love you to quit all your jobs and do photography for three months. And she's like I'll pay for your rent, your food and just, if you are not doing well in three months and it's not going ahead, then just get another job. And so that's what she did, and like I haven't looked back. So that was bold, but also I had a cushion, so I was very lucky in that sense. But yeah.

Troy Freyee:

Still got to do it. Yeah, still got to do it. So in that three months I pushed, I made it happen. You know, yeah, you know, and it was like really good motivation and it was having your mum or anyone believe in you in that way. You know, it was like pretty cool Having someone in your corner. Yeah, yeah, it's like it's good I have a lot of people in my corner. I'm very lucky. But mom especially she's my biggest fan is she?

Matt Jacob:

yeah, she is. She's the best. Does she live where near you in?

Troy Freyee:

australia um, yeah, she lives in australia.

Matt Jacob:

She lives um probably three hours from me okay, not too bad, not too bad close enough, but also far enough yeah, yeah yeah, it's the, the perfect amount. Were you always a good child, was it? You know, I know you. There's some rhetoric like again on your website about you being a rebel, and was that came from your childhood or do you still? I?

Troy Freyee:

didn't even know that was on my website. But yeah, sick, I need to read this. I think it was more of a catchphrase like rebel with a cause, was it? Oh my god, I need to re-look at this website. It sounds a bit Were you though.

Matt Jacob:

Oh, it's definitely a bit of a rebel.

Troy Freyee:

So it's true, but I was also In my younger days I was real sweet, but then in my teenager I was a little rascal.

Matt Jacob:

And now Someone tells you to do something.

Troy Freyee:

Oh yeah, I'm not a real guy, nah.

Matt Jacob:

No way, yeah, I think that can only bode well for photographers, though, really. Yeah, in a sense, it's not the essence of creativity, but it definitely helps If you just you know, if you just want to be told what to do, all the time you'd be in a nine to five job, literally.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, so yeah, that's interesting.

Matt Jacob:

Were there any inspirations within the sector that you work in now? Probably I don't want to put words in your mouth, but you probably had more fashion inspirations initially than you did photographer inspirations. Or tell me a little bit about kind of where your style emanated from and who you looked up to yeah, good, good question.

Troy Freyee:

Um, I like I can't remember how much I said before, but like I did do a diploma in photo imaging in on the sunshine coast and then, as I finished, I we did an exhibition and that is where I met my now best friend, Ainsley. She owns this online magazine called Sticks and Stones Agency and so that's the she curates. You know, like photographers submit to it from all over the world, so she curates this amazing magazine. She was one of the first OG ones that did that and she came to my exhibition and I knew who she was but I pretended I didn't because she was big in the photo world. I was like hey, so anyways, from there she's like she ended up, um, you know, getting me in as an intern.

Troy Freyee:

So I was, when I work with her, I would go through all the submissions that sometimes 80 to a hundred a day coming through. At that point it was crazy, and so I would be going through them and helping her say yay or nay to photos. So I feel like that really honed down my style, because I was really learning what I liked and I didn't. Like you know, and it's like so I would, you know, and I'll also be helping curating those. Like someone would send a shoot. It was amazing. They would send it through. We would select the best 10 photos or whatever. So I'd even be going deeper into that shoe and then choosing what shot is strongest and what you know. And why did that make me feel like you know? Why did that make me feel like you know? Why did that make me? Why did I like that? And it's always came back to the feeling of the photo so, and then that kind of went into my vibe, you know, in a sense.

Matt Jacob:

So yeah, interesting. That's a really interesting way of finding out what you like the best, best way. I imagine You're just looking at so many other people's work, yeah it's so inspiring.

Troy Freyee:

And seeing so many amazing artists there in the world, you know doing their thing and you know I'm just, yeah, I feel so blessed that you know my work has, you know, become known. You know, for some people and I'm an inspiration to some people and stuff Like literally I pinch myself and I'm an inspiration to some people and stuff Like literally I pinched myself and I almost feel like it's almost like an imposter kind of feeling, like you would feel it too, all the time.

Troy Freyee:

You know it's like wow, I love that photo, Like I almost. I don't know if we spoke about it earlier, but like you know the flow state you get in, you almost feel like you didn't even weren't even that person at the time.

Matt Jacob:

You know, with like you're happy and go, and then someone says, oh, that's really nice for you, go. No, yeah, yeah, yeah, you need to see this one. It's better.

Troy Freyee:

I just did a new one.

Matt Jacob:

That's all new we'll do a better one next week.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, yeah, literally yeah yeah, it's always this weird thing, but it's cool, I love that I feel very, very blessed and grateful and yeah, it's just, it's just a cool world was Was there in that curation process.

Matt Jacob:

I'm very envious of that. By the way, in that curation process, was there just a lot of shit as well? There was definitely.

Troy Freyee:

yeah, I don't want to talk shit on anyone, but there was definitely some interesting shoots in there.

Matt Jacob:

Very diplomatic way of putting it yeah, yeah Cool. Wait, tell me a little bit about what, what. What were the images used for? So, if you selected, images.

Troy Freyee:

Then what happened? So then what she would? Um, well, we would. We would put up a blog post about that, would put it on their instagram. They've got a really big following and it was like one, as I said, like it was one of the first online magazines. There are a lot now and it got pretty saturated, um, so basically it was promotion for these artists and a lot of people from there got bigger jobs from it, because people were watching Sticks and Stones agency for a long time. So I know some people went off and worked for huge magazines like Vogue, like you know all these things. So it was like it was almost like a launching pad for these creators at that point yeah, yeah, it was really cool, mostly fashion based and it's still going um fashion, uh, like it was all sorts she does.

Troy Freyee:

She also does artists. She does interviews on there. Yeah, it's, it's really. It's just a creative. I'll give you my card.

Matt Jacob:

Yes, You're amazing. Talk to me about the film side of it and the analog photography, because you know I'm just kind of I dabble in it a little bit. I wish I did more, but I absolutely love it and I'm not going to give you my reason why I love it, but I'm interested to hear your reason why film is your Well to be honest, I've only just started shooting film.

Troy Freyee:

Over the last three to four years um. Prior to that it was all digital I would make. Whenever I was editing a digital photo I was trying to make it look like film, and then I started shooting film. But I was always scared to shoot film because I was shooting for so many big brands and I couldn't see if I was getting it you know like, and I was like they're spending a lot of money on these days and then on me, so it was very scary to switch over to film. So then, once I started doing film, I would always shoot digital backup, Like I still do, um, just in the sense of that.

Troy Freyee:

But the reason why I love film film, it is you don't shoot as many photos. It's literally that moment um the light like. For some reason film just captures light like in the most beautiful way ever, like any digital. I've never found a digital that does the same thing and it's way less high definition. I feel like all the cameras now are like just way too HD, like way less high definition. I feel like all the cameras now are like just way too HD like, which is good for some things, but, like you know, I don't feel, like you want to see all the pause and you know all that sort of stuff. And then you edit it and you can tell like I don't, I don't know, I personally like it feeling a bit old school and shitty and you know, nostalgic, nostalgic that's what I was trying to think of.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, you know I love that and it kind of it brings a bit of that into it. I don't know, it just feels special film feels really special to me. It's that moment. It's also, you know, and you touched upon it as the process you, you just slow down, you're more mindful. It's, you're almost in more of a flow state because you're just, you're just thinking solely on on getting that moment, getting getting that image Exactly, and then hoping there's almost like this, not anxiety, but like this addictive, almost, probably like a dopamine, because you're expecting oh, what's it going to be like? Have I got it? I know.

Troy Freyee:

It's so scary. I just actually-.

Matt Jacob:

And then you get them through in the shit.

Troy Freyee:

You're like oh, fuck, again fucked up. Rewind Cost me a fortune. Yeah, literally, I'm sorry, the client hates you, everyone hates you. You're like fuck, I think I'm this great photographer, but I fucked up. Nah, that's only happened once, thank God. But like, yeah, I love that feeling, like it's so exciting.

Troy Freyee:

I just shot a whole campaign on film three days ago and I was like I thought I knew in my head that I was doing good like, but I wasn't 100%. Like you just question. You're like, I've done this a million times but you're still questioning like fuck, I hope this turns out, I hope there's not any little sand in there scratching up all my film. Like you never know, you never know. And yeah, we shot the whole day, sent them off, got I got them back. Like here in Bali they process films so quick and good. Love it. Anyways, got them back and I'm so happy. It's my favorite film shoot I've shot. So it's. It was that feeling like fuck, fuck, are they coming through? As soon as it came through, it was like 10 o'clock at night I'm like looking at them all and yeah, how many rolls, how many rolls 10.

Matt Jacob:

Oh, my God.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, was it 360 photos. Yeah, something yeah.

Matt Jacob:

Oh, yeah, exactly.

Troy Freyee:

Awesome. Where did you get it?

Matt Jacob:

developed At OJSAN, ojsan, yeah, ojsan, yeah, yeah, yeah, they're good. I'm not going to talk about them. What's your? What camera do you?

Troy Freyee:

use what film camera? Canon EOS 1. Oh sick.

Matt Jacob:

Have you got it with you today?

Troy Freyee:

No, not today unfortunately I do at the villa. Okay, cool, I love that because you can put EF lenses on it. So sick.

Matt Jacob:

Have you used one before?

Troy Freyee:

Yeah.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, well, you prep. Yeah, semi -automatic, yeah, semi-automatic, yeah Cool. Have you used one before? No, oh, it's seriously like a digital camera, but it's like film.

Troy Freyee:

It's sick. I love it. I'm finn and I are the same.

Matt Jacob:

We have a g2 contacts g2. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I wanted like a point and shoot g2, haven't you? Nah, never nice. Yeah, yeah, I've got it with me today, oh yeah um, it's just easy to use. I used to use um, um a leica, a zeiss sorry rangefinderiss sorry range finder, and it's just manual focus, like it's. It's cool, like I don't mind doing that. But I want a film camera. I can just get out shoot. Get out shoot.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I have a. What is it? I think a Nikon, I don't even know, but it is a manual as well, like a real old school. I love it. It still takes sick photos, but it's just like not as cool.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, I've got a spare Hasselblad 500 CM. Do you know them?

Troy Freyee:

No Like medium format. Oh, medium format, I love medium format.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, beautiful so nice, but that is a process. Yeah, I mean, it's all manual focus and it's a top-down viewfinder oh yes, it's all kind of waste level, but it's beautiful. Yeah, they're amazing you have to be in much more controlled environment yeah, totally, yeah, not the beach.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, yeah, literally you could, but it'd be difficult yeah, I've used the medium format just a couple of times and they're just. They were some of my favorite film photos. I don't have one, I was borrowed it but definitely on my list.

Matt Jacob:

If you know of anyone who wants one, I've got a spare one. So there you go. Yes, please. Anyway, last technical question lighting. You talked about film being very conducive to light. What is your? Do you have an approach to lighting that you, you know, if you think about being on set or you know, doing a shoot. What is your thought process when it comes to lighting that you, you know, if you think about being on set or, you know, doing a shoot? What? What is your thought process when it comes to lighting.

Troy Freyee:

Well, lighting is literally the number one most important thing in photography, I believe. Um, so I'm always thinking about lighting. How do you think about it, like, where it lands? Like you, right now, this beautiful lighting on your face, you know, like I'm always and if I, I just if I see it I'm very visual, like so I don't really pre, I do pre-plan, but sort of, but I just move people in light, and I also have these two light sticks that I bring with me everywhere, yes, very similar to the ones that you have here and there, and I, I have an assistant usually and they, um, you know, create light and it just, it just makes everything so much better. I don't love reflectors, maybe I just have never nailed it, but I always feel like that they can look quite, you know, unrealistic in a sense you know, it's more more shiny.

Troy Freyee:

Like I don't know, like, with these light sticks it creates, it almost feels like a real sunlight, like okay, I don't know, that's how I feel anyway. I think these light sticks it creates it almost feels like a real sunlight, like okay, I don't know, that's how I feel anyway I think these light sticks are probably the best things I've ever bought yeah, right that's because they're small, the versatile they.

Troy Freyee:

They throw out really good light and they're cheap I know and you can change the colors, you change the brightness I know it's one of the best purchases I made for, for sure, and I bought two now. So yeah, absolutely yeah, I recommend that's the word I'm looking for, not guarantee, recommend.

Matt Jacob:

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Matt Jacob:

Let's talk about social media a little bit, because you obviously have a good following socials and I love the way you curate what you put on there. What is your? I'm trying to make this a specific question. We're trying to be diplomatic about social media these days because, generally, I fucking hate it. Um well, yes, I hate it. I hate it in, I dislike it in more ways than I like it put it that way yeah, why is that?

Matt Jacob:

I don't really like what it's done to the world for a start, like on a big picture, I, you know, I I believe it's an, it's a net, has a net negative result on society in general yeah um so I kind of have that always at the back of my mind, so I don't really want to fuel that too much. Yeah, um, but you know it's there though, so it's always going to be positive with it.

Matt Jacob:

That's how I think, but yeah, go yeah, I well, I think for photographers it's very different. Yeah, I agree, as I'm sure it is for other types of artists or creatives or other industries that will use social media for a very, very specific niche purpose. So I I think, I think there's a lot of untruths on social media. It's not. We've got to remember that. It's not real life.

Matt Jacob:

It's a highlight yeah, yeah yeah, so I think you know, as long as you kind of I worry about the younger generation. I don't worry about them at all, but I don't care about them. But you know I, you know I don't want to be that old man in 20 years time.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.

Matt Jacob:

But yeah, that aside, it's such a fantastic tool to connect. We probably would never have met if it wasn't for Instagram in some form or another. Definitely, and for us as photographers, to showcase what we want to showcase, certainly on a visual side of things. I think it's absolutely wonderful. So over to you, are you in agreement with a lot of what I said? How do you?

Troy Freyee:

I personally I actually agree with everything you say. There is a lot of toxicity about social media. Like you know, it is a highlight reel. It can help Like it really hurts a lot of people, but it's also got a positive side where it helps a lot of people. And you know, like people like you and I you know we have a shop front for our art, you know, and I find that so amazing. It's not just us, it's other people as well. And yeah, I just I love it, I love being out of you know, like have that and have so much positive reinforcement to me all the time, like I get the most beautiful messages, just you know, and I think it's really, really positive. I do hear a lot of people having negative experiences on social media with a lot of hate and, like you know, the trolls, and that I feel really lucky that I haven't had that.

Matt Jacob:

Will you wait till this episode goes out?

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, literally they're like oh God, nah, he keeps making people do cartwheels, I'll get the hate. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, but you know everything, you know. It's just yeah, you know. I actually, I definitely am the same as you. I see the positive and the negative, but I'm just going to take the positive. I suppose I'm going to choose that, just roll with it.

Matt Jacob:

You know, yeah, good for you. Do you think it contributed to where you are today?

Troy Freyee:

A hundred percent. Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent.

Matt Jacob:

Well, that's it that speaks volumes.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, it's definitely, definitely. It's my shop front, you know, it's the platform that everyone sees my work.

Matt Jacob:

Have you ever been taken off for nudity or anything like that?

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, yeah, yeah definitely no, my page hasn't been deleted. I've just had warnings and okay and stuff getting deleted on that. They've deleted and people like report or whatever. So yeah, there is that negative side. You know the jealous or the other jealous people or whatever. You know like someone cunts, yeah, cunts, yeah, the cunts out there. So many of them there are. I got a warning for the.

Matt Jacob:

You see that photo up there, girl in green and it's um ugandan girl. She's, she's like 10, um, she's showing a nipple. Yeah, right, and I got. I got a warning for that oh shit are you fucking kidding me? It's like you can't even see it. You can't. Well, it gets a bit dark now, but you, you can see it.

Troy Freyee:

Oh, like a little time, yeah right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. A girl with nothing, that's the only clothes she got.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, you're showing the real. You can see it in normal light, yeah right, right, right.

Troy Freyee:

It's a fucking peasant, yeah, yeah yeah, A girl with nothing.

Matt Jacob:

that's the only clothes she got.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, you're showing the real situation. It's not a fucking model with the tits out. Yeah, yeah, I know it's a bit hectic on there.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, yeah, but I mean I get it. I mean you have a lot of people that you know, especially in today's world, and you know us being at the forefront of this type of free speechism and and then on the other side, you've got people wanting to censor stuff and somehow it gets all, especially with platforms like twitter. I don't think instagram is that bad for it. I mean, you do hear stories, right, but yeah, usually it's repeat offenders that actually get their accounts taken away. Yeah, yeah, um, but yeah, twitter's twitter and the other spaces, I think a little bit, a little bit more, um, I guess.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah hectic for sure, more trolling, yeah, more controversy, more echo chambers yeah, it's pretty gnarly.

Troy Freyee:

I've seen some of my friends that are on twitter heaps like really some of their hate they get and stuff.

Matt Jacob:

It's just like I can't believe people say that stuff, and why do you want to be on it if you're just constantly getting that?

Troy Freyee:

stuff. It's sad to know there's so many people out there like that, but what can you do?

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, I don't know what you can do. I don't know what the future looks like and how you keep grounded in that type of thing.

Troy Freyee:

I it yeah, in that type of thing. I know it's yeah, so that's why I'm glad it's. You know, like my arts, the, the thing on display. You know like it would be hard being an influencer in this world. You know, when you, when you have your face on and then you're getting pulled apart, for you know, oh, why your eyebrows like this. Oh well, you know, like I have a lot of friends that are in the influencing world and, yeah, some of the stuff they get it just breaks my heart. Like how do you talk to a person like that? You know they just think, oh, they're an influencer, they're this person, but they're actually real people and just, you know, I think of it like I don't know if this will help you influence, influence the friends.

Matt Jacob:

But if in real life, okay, imagine your influence of friends as someone. They're just walking along the street right and they look to the right and they see some fucking reprobate covered in shit in a bin and opening the lid and they just shout, oh, fuck off, you can't, do you think then the? Then the influencer would like stop and like have an argument. No, you'd just be like yeah, they're a piece of shit why would I care what they?

Troy Freyee:

yeah, I think there's like this real world analogy, but online. We all care like someone says something and it's like cause I've had hate and it's like it makes me it hurts, it hurts, it does hurt.

Matt Jacob:

These are strangers. Yeah, and it's like there forever.

Troy Freyee:

Well, you can delete it, but like it's just, oh yeah, straight away, yeah, yeah, literally, literally, yeah. So yeah, it's a weird world, it is a really weird world, yeah yeah, anyway, I don't know how we got into that.

Matt Jacob:

How do you keep yourself grounded, like in your personal professional balance, which I think as photographers we often blend, because it's just our life, right photography?

Troy Freyee:

is our lifestyle.

Matt Jacob:

It becomes a life do you do, you find yourself needing to keep a little bit grounded in in the way you you operate absolutely like, um, I feel like last year I was the opposite than ground than grounded.

Troy Freyee:

I was traveling between Bali, europe, um, australia. Bali, europe, australia. Like you know, it was like it was crazy, and I was shooting so much I was literally forgetting about myself. You know which, you've probably been there before too.

Matt Jacob:

No, I think about myself all the time. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah. So I find you know like, yeah, I was burnt out. I literally burnt myself out completely. And I got back from that year and I I almost just never wanted to take a photo again, like I was like I'm done, like this is a lot, um, but I was also super proud of my year. Like you know, it's this conflicting thing. It's like I love what I do, I am so lucky what I do, but I'm so tired I can't even, like you know, I don't even want to hang out with anyone, any of my friends, because I don't have chat. You know, it's like I'm like tired, go away and anyways. So what was the question again?

Matt Jacob:

um how you keep yourself grounded oh yes.

Troy Freyee:

so in that I've been learning how to keep myself grounded in the sense of, like I literally took probably six months off shooting, in a way Like I did little bits here and there, but no traveling. I put a ban on myself for the first six months of this year and in that time I just had to really reconnect with who I am as a person Like I, because as a photographer I don't't know like within the portrait world as much, but like in the world of fashion and everything, it's pretty high demand, like I've got. You know I do a campaign, I have to get it out within a week.

Troy Freyee:

you know like it's very, very high demand and sometimes I'm shooting like three to four, sometimes five, in a week, like I was my goodness which is a lot, and the turnaround is like yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I was rich, but like no, but you know, like it was just a lot, yeah, it's a lot. So it's like hard to stay grounded in that sense. Wait, I forget where I've lost my train of thought again. Sorry, I stole the coffee. No, it's good, no, no, oh yeah.

Troy Freyee:

So learning to be grounded was, yeah, it was forced upon me, you know, because I wasn't before. Oh yeah, because I kept doing stuff for everyone around me and I was like you're never thinking to myself because I'm doing so many campaigns, like I'm not complaining here, I'm super grateful, but it was a process of losing myself and so I was very burnt out. I was getting sick every week. I was, you know, but still pushing through, just eating cold and blue tablets just to get through a shoot like just, you know, drinking more, more, partying more, which is, like you, I should have been doing less really, but just to feel good anyway. So in the last six months I stopped it all. I stopped drinking everything for six months and just started.

Troy Freyee:

I just found out that walking, like the mornings, were my time, you know, walking on the beach. I get up pretty early, like 4.35 most mornings and I and it's before anyone wakes up. So I literally have like almost four hours on my own and I like I go for a walk, I get a coffee, I put like meditation on sometimes, or I just sit there. I think it's just yeah about finding time for me. That's the only, that's. The answer really is having time for myself, yeah.

Matt Jacob:

Did you have you had any mental health issues along the way by being that type of?

Troy Freyee:

well, yeah, I I am, if I I have had, uh, I was diagnosed with um anxiety when I was 12 and that was like before even anxiety was even a thing and now everyone seems to have it, which is shit, like I'd never wish it upon every anyone, but like back when they didn't know about it was like really really fucking scary. So I've always dealt with that my whole life and it's just, and that's always brings me back to being having to be mindful and breathe through stuff and be, you know, present what um, what situations get you, get that anxiety going?

Troy Freyee:

interestingly travel. Yeah, that was like my first, like I'm good now, like I'm, I love traveling now and I love it. But I was so scared to even get on a plane, like it was. I hated it, I hated the thought of being stuck. But now I'm flying to LA by myself, like you know. It's like it's pretty cool to see that change. But yeah, that and going into the unknown, um, I think I'm more like it was general anxiety. It wasn't like something would trigger me, it was just like this feeling that was always there and but in a weird way, I think it's, you know, going away. You know, like they say you never will, but I feel like I'm dealing with it a lot better cool, good for you.

Matt Jacob:

There's the same with um depression that you know. People think that you know you cure depression. Actually it's. You're kind of always living with it but you have a little bounce of bounce of depression when you have tools to get you out of it a little bit quicker or just deal, or just kind of sit in it, let it go yeah it's a thing.

Troy Freyee:

It's a thing, and it's different for every single person as well.

Troy Freyee:

It's like depression, anxiety, like could feel like that to that person and that to that person. So it's like you know it's yeah, mental health is a massive issue in this world and that probably goes back to the social media stuff you know. So I'm like I'm speaking, I speak to, you know, counselors and stuff. Like because of it, you know as well and they, it helps, you know me so much Someone who's aware of the mind and you know, and because I'm a creative person, I think it's so common in the creative world Depression and anxiety. It's like our minds go a million miles an hour. I feel like you know, like, and then like you go to bed and you're still thinking. I'm up all night, you know, because I'm thinking of what's one idea. So that's why I don't like to plan too much and I'm like a last minute guy, because or else I'm like boom.

Matt Jacob:

Well, it's good that you believe in yourself that you know, or you, or you trust yourself that you know. Okay, I'm going to, I'm going to have an idea or something's going to come. I trust in that process.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, it takes a long time to get there, Right, you know it's like, yeah, like I definitely didn't believe in myself for a long long time, Like it's. I feel like that's only in the last know, because they always have and I don't know why I never trusted it before.

Matt Jacob:

Difficult to come out of that six months as well. Oh God, yeah, it's probably anxiety in itself, right, I was like well, I don't even know what I want, but I love it.

Troy Freyee:

Now I'm back. I feel like I'm back, like I just I'm frothing. Is that an Aussie thing? Is that an Aussie thing?

Matt Jacob:

I don't know. I mean Finn says that all the time, Does he as well?

Troy Freyee:

Is he Aussie? No, he's German. Oh, there you go. Maybe it's a German Aussie thing.

Matt Jacob:

It sounds better in German.

Troy Freyee:

Yeah, yeah, yeah it's frothing.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, yeah, frothing. All right, man, it's been so great to have you wrap up some important message that you want to bring to the conversation today. We talked about a lot, but I always want to leave the audience with something Inspiration in so many ways in a visual aspect. Is there anything you want to bring to the conversation that you might be able to leave with our audience today? In some kind of inspiring way.

Troy Freyee:

Well, thank you, thanks for having me. Firstly, I think the biggest thing for me throughout this whole amazing journey and career is, you know, really believing in yourself and believing in your heart, and then that it'll follow, like, if it's really meant for you, it'll. It'll catch, you know, and just really listen to what you like, and not what they like, but what you really like, you know, and then it'll flow from there like I just you know, and I know it's there's a pressure of like, but what do I like? I suppose that's you know. Like you know like I had the working for sticks and stones, like I got to see lots of things. That's how I figured out how I'm gonna like.

Troy Freyee:

So maybe, if it's like in their, in their world, look at magazines, look at you know and really like, put things aside that you really like, and then you eventually figure out what you really like if that makes sense. So like it, just like, kind of happens. You know it'll happen, naturally. So I think, yeah, I don't know, only if you, I think, have trust, yeah, yeah no, you're right, only if you begin.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, you have to. That's the biggest yeah thing and it's easy for us to say but just start, yeah, you just don't worry so much about the end result. Yeah, what am I gonna do?

Troy Freyee:

like you, you have to start something to try something, and you have to try something to realize what you like and what you don't exactly, and there's like, there's like for a while there I thought I wanted to do weddings, but then I did weddings and I just it wasn't my thing. So it's like for all the aspiring photographers out there, just try everything and just like ask your friends to shoot, ask, you know, go to. You know listen to podcasts, you know like, watch YouTube, you know, know, just keep keep diving into it. If there's a passion there, something will click and it's, and it's amazing when it does yeah, it is, it's life-changing it is.

Troy Freyee:

It is definitely life-changing it's.

Matt Jacob:

I'm so blessed and yeah what is the next chapter of your life look like? Are you staying completely?

Troy Freyee:

grounded in the present. Yeah, I don't know, man. No, I do have like quite a few like exciting things coming up. You know, yeah, ah, yeah, you got it. Yeah, I've got. I'm working on a coffee table book. Not sure, I've been working on it actually for ages, but so I don't know when that'll come out. But you know, and I'm continuing, continuing doing prints and travel, and you know all that sort of stuff. So there's always things in the works and I've got to also stay pretty open because new things come and new, new goals happen.

Matt Jacob:

So Never know what's around the corner.

Troy Freyee:

You never do.

Matt Jacob:

Well, I've absolutely loved our conversation. Thanks so much for coming in, me too.

Troy Freyee:

And you're amazing, amazing and thanks for having me. Thank you, legend.

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Matt Jacob

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